Danilo Petrucci has described his time with BMW in WorldSBK as a “perfect storm”. Adapting to a motorcycle that felt fundamentally different began with a rain-affected winter programme and was later interrupted by the crash at Most. Speaking after Race 2 at Jerez, Petrucci left the next stage of his racing career open.

A difficult start, followed by another setback

Petrucci arrived at BMW as a three-time WorldSBK race winner with Barni Ducati, having also come close to third in the 2025 standings. An injury had already ruled him out of the final two rounds of that season. The new partnership then began with a disadvantage: rain disrupted BMW’s winter testing schedule, reducing the time available for Petrucci to learn a bike that differed substantially from what he had known.

Just as Petrucci started to feel more comfortable, he was injured in the crash at Most. He said the incident effectively took him back to square one, with a major impact on his form and confidence. Petrucci also recalled being unable to feel his legs after the accident. At 36, that experience changed the way he viewed racing and made his health a much more prominent consideration.

An open future

Petrucci said BMW had decided to take a different direction. Despite the difficult end to the partnership, he thanked the team and praised the way its members had supported him. His comments about what comes next remained deliberately broad: he said he wants to be happy and enjoy what life gives him. He did not identify a specific destination for the next chapter of his racing career.